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Lorne Michaels: Republicans Have Better Sense Of Humor Than Democrats

SNL Producer Says Democrats take things 'personally'

The Republican Party is commonly characterized as being the party of old, humorless white men.

But in an interview with Vulture.com, Saturday Night Live Executive Producer Lorne Michaels said he finds the GOP to be quicker to laugh than their partisan counterparts:

Republicans are easier for us than Democrats. Democrats tend to take it personally; Republicans think it’s funny. But we’re not sitting here every week going, “We’ve really got to do the First Family.” This week, our cold open is about three big stories. We have Piers Morgan interviewing A-Rod, Chris Christie, and Justin Bieber. We’re doing more of that kind of thing than stuff about Benghazi or the new budget agreement. The country has lost interest in it. I can’t tell you why. It’s no less important, but in some way you can’t do health care more than twice, at which point there’s just nothing left. But Jay Pharoah does a really good Obama.

Michaels also lamented the impact political correctness has had on the topics SNL can tackle:

We couldn’t do “News for the Hard of Hearing” anymore, because that’s a handicap. When we did Governor Paterson, we were roundly criticized. But comedy is a safety valve. If a culture doesn’t allow you to laugh at the leaders or at things that your eyes and ears tell you are actually happening, that’s not good. I do get into trouble every now and then, because we’re at that level where we’re being defined as if we’re a government institution. Like with the diversity thing.